


Caged Like Prized Birds

by JessKo



Series: Caged [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive Parents, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Consentacles, Happy Ending, M/M, Medical Experimentation, Medical Procedures, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Tentacles, Trauma, clone Thrawn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-09-17 23:46:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16984098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessKo/pseuds/JessKo
Summary: Armitage Hux has lived his life caught between locked doors.Don't go there, can't leave here. There is nothing more than routine in his days, all orchestrated by his father Brendol.One day, however, doors are left unlocked, and a secret project is revealed.Time is short for Armitage to work with his newest discovery, an unfinished clone of an Imperial Grand Admiral, to escape the dreary cycle of his life, and untold horrors should he be caught.





	1. Perimeter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Keto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keto/gifts).



> This work in inspired by the AMAZING artworks and head canons of [Keto/Strength-Through-Order](https://strength-through-order.tumblr.com/)  
> Thank you for sharing your glorious ideas!~ .
> 
> I intended for this to be a rather outlandish AU, but in light of the Phasma novel, this truly may not be too far out of character for Brendol to run his household as such. 
> 
> A note on ages: Armitage is about to graduate from Space University, so I'd pin his age at around 22. Thrawn is modeled after the original Chiss in his prime, and has the mental capacity of a consenting adult as such. The clone itself may be young, but I'd not consider him to be underage by any stretch of the word.
> 
> Also, please do mind the tags. This fic is going to go deep into some trauma, both on the child abuse and medial experimentation fronts. Beatings, needles, scars and the like will be mentioned. If this is not for you, please be safe.

Armitage knew he should not be here.

He knew he should be back in his room, studying for his upcoming examination. Surely his father would punish him dearly for anything less than perfection.

But here he was, exploring the lower levels of his father’s home.

His life had always been one of locked doors and restricted access in the Arkanis mansion. However, in Brendol’s haste to leave for a very important impromptu meeting, he had left spaces open to exploration.

Armitage had just about given up on seeing what there was in the below surface corridors, he was only a few weeks away from graduation and being commissioned out on some capitol ship after all, what difference would solving this mystery have in his life? Plus, repercussions for being caught would be severe. But here he was, making his way down a dimly lit hall.

He stalked the long space quietly, as if just breathing too heavily would alert his far-away father of his presence in restricted areas.

So far, the place had been intriguing at most, but not completely surprising. Armitage hardly batted an eye at the prototype weapons crowding one room, or the rows of white plastoid armor in another. A narrow offshoot lead to what almost looked like a filming studio, a holo-recorder set up across from a blank backdrop and desk.

Armitage nearly dismissed the room but realized that a soft glow was leaking from around the edges of the backdrop. Curious, he approached and pulled back the thick curtain. There was a whole new room behind the curtain, each inch of it save a thin walkway full of medical instruments, cluttered tables, and equipment. At the end of the walkway was the source of the azure glow.

There stood a tall cylinder, set on a mechanical pedestal. Its face was made of glass, and its contents were illuminated in a haunting blue light.

Floating in the clear liquid was a man!

Armitage found himself being pulled down the room towards the tank, hardly glancing at anything else.

Standing in front of it, he reached out, placing a hand on the cool, smooth surface.

The man inside twitched, and Armitage pulled back, taking in a sharp breath.

The being settled back down, so the young Hux took the chance to study its features.

Short, dark hair floated around its face, which was oddly ridged at the forehead. This must be some sort of alien, Armitage concluded as he traced sharp cheekbones down to a toned neck and broad shoulders.

Suddenly, remembering his studies of the Clone Wars, Armitage realized what he was looking at.

Taking a step back, he gasped. “A cloning tank!”

The being in the chamber jolted again within the thick fluid, and Armitage bolted, running towards the curtain.

Yanking the fabric back, however, he paused.

Hardening himself, Armitage turned back. He saw a hand pressed up against the glass, dimly glowing red eyes looking back at him from an expressionless face, blinking slowly.

Armitage quickly weighed his options and found the prospect of investigating the being further to be the most appealing action. At a fast clip, he reproached the tank.

Maintaining eye contact with the glowing eyes was unsettling, but Armitage managed the task. On his second arrival, the being reacted by removing its hand from the glass separating them and pointing downwards.

Armitage followed the direction of the finger, which lead him to a control panel at the base of the tank. “Why do you direct me here?” He asked firmly.

The being then touched its index finger and thumb together, making a circle. Looking down at the panel, there was only a single button of that shape.

“You want me to press it?” Armitage asked.

The being nodded once, face still blank.

“Are you going to hurt me?” He almost immediately chastised himself for asking such a blunt question, but the being seemed to take no offense, raising its hands up as if to show that it was not a threat.

Armitage studied it for a moment longer and figured that the worst that could happen is that the thing would try to run away only to find that it did not have the clearance to get though the front door. Not even Armitage had that.  

With an anxious sigh, the button was depressed down. Immediately, the liquid level of the chamber began to lower, presumably emptying into a space below. Chasing after was the glass itself, dropping down into the base as the liquid drained.

In the blink of an eye, the being jumped off the pedestal and ran to the nearest table, picking up and brandishing a nasty looking syringe.

Standing there, dripping thick growth liquid, Armitage realized the man was completely naked aside from a thin cloth tied about his waist, and too shocked to do much other than take a step back. It was obvious he would be no match for this man in combat, but perhaps he could outwit the being.

“I don’t mean to hurt you, please put that down.” Armitage said firmly, but at a low volume.

“Let me leave.” The being demanded, his basic thickly accented.

“You can try, but we are both trapped here. It would be better to not be hostile. I’ll ask you again to please drop the syringe.”

“Take me to the exit.” The being replied quickly, voice cool but full of authority. He began making his way towards Armitage, not lowering the long needle. Armitage noticed his hands were shaking.

“Fine, right this way then.” Not wanting to risk being stuck by the device, he began to walk towards the curtain, the being right behind him. Not looking back, he made a straight path for the turbolift and entered. Turning around, he found himself in tight quarters with the being, and a new detail shocked him.

Armitage had assumed that it was the tinted light of the cloning tank, but the man’s skin truly was blue! He stood a mere inch above the human but was built much stronger. This was a direct contrast to Armitage’s lithe form, making the human feel insignificantly small in his presence. The lift announced its arrival on the main floor with a soft chirp and the swoosh of the doors opening.

“The front door is straight ahead. You can try to open it using the panel.”

The being made its way forwards, testing the door. As Armitage had promised, it was locked.

“You try.”

Armitage walked forwards to the door’s control panel with a shrug, pressing the release button to no effect.

“Caged like prized birds I am afraid.” Armitage said flatly.

The being made a soft sound, almost a hiss, and turned to the wall, walking the perimeter of the home. Armitage followed behind as he tested every door and window, even throwing a metal pan at one pane of transparasteel.

“Impact resistant.” Armitage muttered, flinching as the pan clattered to the floor.

Upon reaching the front door again, the being placed the syringe down on a nearby shelf, the object making sharp contact with the surface.

“Where is the other?” The being asked, not breaking eye contact with the door, or lifting his hand from the syringe.

“The other… Oh. You mean my father.” Armitage paused. “He is away, will be gone for eight days.”

The being turned to him then. “We have eight days to escape, then.”


	2. Unrest

Armitage chuckled at the notion of escaping. “Eight days? I’ve been trying to get out of this place every day of my life since as far back as I can remember. Good luck.” And turned towards the turbolift, only to come face to face with the resident Nanny Droid, N4-NY. The white, lifeless eyes of the droid shone brightly.

“Armitage, you are not permitted to bring guests into the home.” She droned, backhanding the young Hux. He recoiled with the blow, a bright imprint of her metallic hand blooming on his cheek.

“I didn’t bring him in, Enfour.” Armitage began to explain, onto to be met with another smack.

“There was no intruder alert, thus you have broken the rules and allowed unauthorized entry.” N4-NY stated loudly. She raised her arm, preparing another blow, but found that her arm was held in place. Whipping around, N4-NY saw that it was the guest keeping the arm from completing its desired action. She deducted that disciplinary action would be most appropriate and swiftly clenched her second hand. Its trajectory found its home with sharp contact to the guest’s midsection.

Armitage, thinking quickly, scuttled backwards into the kitchen, picking up the heavy pan from the floor. He ran back towards N4-NY and drew upon his hatred against the vile machine, raising the pan above his head.

He brought it down without a second’s hesitation, creating a deep dent in the dome of the droid’s head and earing her full attention. But it was too late. Again and again, Armitage swung with the pan, sparks flying and fluids leaking from the droid’s shell. Soon, unable to function with such injuries, the droid toppled over, and Armitage stood over it, breathless.

The clone stared at him, cocking its head as if curious. Making eye contact, Armitage dropped the pan, creating yet another dent in the failing droid’s shell.

“Father is going to kill me.” He whispered, falling to his knees.

“I believe that was Enfour’s intent.” The being said flatly. Armitage looked up to the ghost of a smile across blue lips. “Your fast action prevented much bodily harm. Thank you.”

“Um… Don’t mention it.” Armitage replied, taking an offered hand to rise back to his feet. Pulling away, he realized his own hand was now coated in blood and wet flakes of blue skin. “Kriff, what happened?”

The clone’s face resumed its impassive mask. “Nothing out of the ordinary. I am incomplete.” The being held out its palms, displaying thin skin that was cracked and flaking, bleeding openly.

Armitage visibly cringed at the sight. “Does it hurt?”

Shrugging, the being replied. “Yes, but I have become accustomed to the pain. It is only when grasping tightly that it is difficult to bear.”

Considering his studies, Armitage had an idea. “The growth fluid, does it help with the pain?”

“Yes, it acts like a numbing agent.”

Armitage nodded, glad his theory was as expected. “This way then, I want to try something.”

Walking back to the turbolift, Armitage noticed red footprints on the dark floor.

As if they could read his mind, the clone began to speak on the subject. “My feet have the same ailment. Your father seems more focused on allowing my hands to heal, however. Perhaps he feels that crippling me gave him some sort of advantage.”

Entering the turbolift, Armitage replied. “That sounds like something he would do. And please, just call him by his name. Brendol.” He paused a moment as the lift ascended. “And your name is what, exactly?”

The being seemed to size him up before replying. “I am a clone of Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Galactic Empire. Perhaps Thrawn would be best to refer to me as.”

“Thrawn, alright.” Armitage had to hold in a gasp as the pieces suddenly snapped into place in his mind. The Grand Admiral had been a Chiss, and this being fit such a description perfectly. He dares not dwell on how his father had stumbled upon the genetic material of the long-lost officer to craft such a clone. He was sure, however, that whatever plans Brendol Hux had for the being before him were monumental. “You can call me Armitage, then.”

Thrawn simply nodded as the lift doors opened to reveal the upper hall.

“You can wait here, I’m just going to grab something.” Armitage said, making his way into his father’s room, also left unlocked. Searching in the wardrobe, he found what he was looking for and turned, only to nearly run into the Chiss. His stark near-nudity was once again blatantly apparent, and Armitage returned to the wardrobe.

Finding a loose training outfit that Brendol had not worn, or been able to fit in, since his own academy days, Armitage pulled the articles and offered them to Thrawn.

Taking the cue, the clone slipped into the outfit. Unfortunately, the grey pants ended mid-calf and the shirt was cropped far too high, but Armitage could live with the exposure of some of the clone’s toned abdomen. He would be lying if he said the being was not visually appealing.

“We are going to go back to the cloning tank.” Armitage announced, not waiting for Thrawn to reply before making his way back to the turbolift.

Reentering the room with the cloning tank, Thrawn followed close behind but lingered near the curtain. Armitage did not question it and approached the cloning tank, assessing it for some sort of access port. Around the back, he found what he was looking for and lifted a round hatch to gain access to the growth liquid housed in the base. Here, he took the articles taken from his father’s wardrobe and soaked them in the thick fluid.

He returned to face Thrawn after closing the hatch, offering white gloves and socks saturated with the growth liquid.

Thrawn took them after a moments study, slipping his fingers into the thick fabric. He had been hiding his pain as well as he had boasted, but the near instant look of relief was easy to spot for Armitage. He was rather skilled at noticing micro-expressions, after all reading his father and reacting accordingly was often the only thing that could spare him from a beating.

After pulling the socks on, Thrawn rose to his full height, clasping his hands behind his back. Even in the rather ridiculous outfit, he had an air of authority about him. “We will begin our escape by looking for weak points. I will search the ground floor more carefully, you will take the top.”

Armitage knew he should go back to studying, just encourage the clone back into the tank and carry on. But the destroyed droid, and even more so the events of his life told him to abandon his books. How could he live with himself into the future if he did not at least try to escape the hell that was his current life. The outlook was dim to say the least should he stay put.

Making up his mind, Armitage nodded firmly. “Solid plan. Let us begin.”

So, the search began, every inch of the home scoured for a weakness in its defenses. Windows were measured, panels inspected, and walls prodded.

Much to their chagrin, the home truly did live up to being called a fortress.

After a long hunt, Thrawn and Armitage found themselves back in the kitchen, staring at the sink.

“The disposal was not always here.” Armitage commented, grasping at one final straw.

“Perhaps we could remove the sink and find unsound wall space left over from the renovation.”

Gazing out the window, towards the sun setting behind the omnipresent storm clouds of Arkanis, Armitage felt a glimmer of hope. “Yeah, maybe so. How are we going to remove the basin though?”

Thrawn answered his question with a loud clang, and Armitage turned around to find him pulling an arm off the dead Nanny Droid.

“This will grant us increased leverage.” Thawn announced as he returned with the piece.

“Perfect. Just have to find a way to wedge it under the lip.” The gap was nearly nonexistent, but the lip at the edge of the basin was not entirely flush with the metal countertop.

Almost comically, Thrawn made the arm wave its pincer-like hands. “We will shave this down to a wedge.”

So, for the rest of the evening, the pair took turns wearing away at one of the pincers using the front door as their grind stone after deducing that it was the hardest object within their reach.

It was not soon before Armitage’s soft digits were covered in blisters from the friction of the work, and it was obvious that Thrawn was losing stamina as the gloves dried and soon were tinged pink with blood.

“Perhaps you should eat.” Thrawn commented to a sweat-soaked Armitage who was channeling a lifetime of abuse into his grinding.

Gritting his teeth, the human stepped away from the door, glaring down at the mechanical hand. “We have barely made any progress.” He threw it aside. “This is pointless!”

“It is the most logical path to follow.” Thrawn began.

Armitage whipped around, breathing heavily. “Ok sure, but what do you know? I’ve lived here for twenty-two years with a droid programmed to beat me into submission and a father who I honestly think enjoys doing the same if I am anything less than the perfection he expects!” He shouted, punctuating his words with wild gestures.

“I think I understand you fully. Your father, I mean, Brendol’s obsession with perfection has carried over into my creation.” Thrawn raised his hands. “I am incomplete, and I do not carry the full knowledge of the being I was based on. The knowledge I have been granted access to for formulation of my personality and self is limited only to historic records.” The Chiss was surprisingly calm for the depth of his words. “A diary of sorts has provided essential insight, but it is simply calculated prose, not the thoughts of the original.”

“Brendol wishes for me to be a copy of a being of legendary warrior-tactician, yet I cannot even walk without outside aide.”

Armitage tried to parse everything he was just told. “You said that you felt father purposefully kept you crippled, though?”

Thrawn shrugged. “It is just a theory. Each time the flesh covering my feet develops, it is improper and weak, much like my hands. So, Brendol removes it in hopes that it regrows back correctly. This is never the case. He would have better chances of success experimenting differently, as he has regarding...” Thrawn paused. “Never mind, it is not relevant.”

Remembering the medical equipment in the room, Armitage shuddered. It was probably for the best that Thrawn spared him the details.

“You need food. And Bacta.” Thrawn finally commented, breaking the silence.

Breathing out, Armitage became acutely aware of the sharp sting in his hands. “Right, ok. There is a medkit in the kitchen.”

Not long after, he found himself sitting across from the Chiss, hands bandaged and gently grasping a protein pack.

Thrawn had tasted one for himself, but a negative reaction from the flavor lead him to conclude that he would just absorb nutrients from the growth liquid over night as usual. Armitage admitted it was an acquired taste.

Once without a task, both beings quickly realized there was not much else to discuss. Thrawn, having lived his whole short life in a single room, did not have much to contribute, and Armitage was starting to really feel the effects of the Bacta and thus had a hard time recounting much more than what had just happened.

Finally, Thrawn rose. “You will return me to my chamber and then retire to your quarters for the night.”

Armitage was too out of it to try and argue, or even make a snide comment on how he would not be taking orders from the Chiss. It was probably for the best that Thrawn took charge, after all.

So, the pair made their way back to the lower level. Without warning, Thrawn stripped back down to the small cloth and climbed up onto the pedestal.  Shame and modesty must not have been a part of Brendol’s curriculum Armitage thought to himself.

Pressing the circular button again, the walls of the chamber began to rise, and growth liquid poured in from the base. Only when it was completely full and Thrawn seemed settled did Armitage turn to leave.

He pulled back the curtain and stepped through to the other side. A muffled banging sound stopped him in his tracks.

Pulled from the Bacta-induced stupor, Armitage whipped around and stormed back into the room.

Thrawn looked panicked, eyes blown open wide and curled fists banging against the glass tank.

Armitage smashed down the release, and as soon as he could climb out Thrawn was lowering himself off the pedestal.

Only when his feet were planted on the floor did the fear begin to subside, Thrawn working to regulate his breaths.

Not knowing what else to say, Armitage blurted out. “You can sleep on the sofa.”

Returning to a blank expression, Thrawn simply thanked Armitage before making his way out and to the turbolift, taking it up to the main floor alone.

Falling back into the Bacta haze, Armitage wandered slowly to his room, quickly falling asleep on the narrow bed atop the covers.

The next time he opened his eyes, there was a strange red glow to the room. Sitting up, he saw two bright lights in the doorway. Armitaged yelped, the sound not unlike that a Akk dog might make when afraid.

“I am sorry to frighten you.” What Armitage now realized was Thrawn in the doorway said softly.

Armitage took a deep breath. “It’s alright, is something wrong?”

The Chiss seemed to shift, uncomfortable. “I cannot sleep.” He said, barely above a whisper.

“Are you just hungry?” The human offered, sitting up in bed.

Thrawn raised his arm into the red glow, displaying a half-eaten protein pack in a gloved hand. “Despite the revolting flavor I will attempt to consume this.”

Armitage could not help but to laugh. “You will get used to it in time.”

“I should hope not. Once we leave I intend to find alternative forms of nourishment.”  

Right. They were going to leave. They really were going to seek freedom, together, far away from the Nanny Droids, beatings, and Brendol Hux.

“Alright. So, what do you need from me?” Armitage asked rather bluntly.

Thrawn shifted again, looking down to the floor. Finding confidence, the clone looked up and made rather intense eye contact with Armitage. “I request permission to sleep with you.”

Armitage felt his face contort in confusion but could do nothing to stop it.

“I’m sorry, I am sure this is far beyond my boundaries. I will return to the couch.”

“No. You can stay.”

“If it is in any way an inconvenience-“

“Please.” Armitage slid over to the edge of the bed, patting the slim space beside him. “We will need to be well rested tomorrow, and if company is what you require, so be it.”

Thrawn simply nodded and approached, and Armitage moved to pull the covers out from beneath himself. Soon, Thrawn lay beside him, rigid as a board on his back.

Even with his eyes closed, a dim light escaped from beneath his lashes. The view was lovely, but not having enough room to lay flat himself was less kind a realization. So, Armitage lay on his side, facing away from the Chiss. The soft and even sounds of the other being’s breaths lulled him into the deepest sleep of his life.

 

Armitage rose to the feeling of being held. It was not unpleasant, even if the arms were cool to the touch. And the chest. Legs as well. Chill breaths wafted onto his neck in a slow rhythm.

Armitage sunk into the sensation, feeling the grip tighten around him. Most strange of all was the grasp around his thighs, as if many long fingers were keeping him close.

His eyes shot open and body stiffened. Long fingers? Chill breaths? Looking down, strong blue arms crossed his bare front, gloved hands gently cupping his shoulders. Craning his neck, Armitage saw pink tendrils slowly slithering around his thighs, exploring him like a curious snake.

He wanted to scream, to jump out of the bed and run. But where would he go? This was Thrawn, it had to be. He could be trusted, right? Would his hatred for Brendol carry over to Armitage as well?

If this were to be his death, well, it was not unpleasant at all.

Suddenly, Armitage’s breath hitched. A tendril slid under the hem of his shorts, sliding along his inner thigh at a snail’s pace. He realized the tendril was slick with a thick fluid, vibrant magenta in color. There was a small pool of the stuff at the base of his bed, dripping off his thighs.

It couldn’t be… Could it?

Turning around, Armitage tried to view the origin of the tendrils, but found himself with a face full of silky black hair. Nuzzling against it elicited a soft hum from the Chiss, who hooked a leg around Hux, trapping it in place.

As the tendril inched closer to Armitage’s awakening member, he twisted his body around to confirm his suspicion. The tendrils were leaking out from underneath the thin cloth still affixed to Thrawn’s waist, now also soaked in the magenta fluid.

As Armitage settled down at the new angle, he caught Thrawn opening his eyes. A thin smile graced his lips, along with a gentle moan.

Quirking an eyebrow, Armitage once again assessed his options. He could easily slap the Chiss, bring him to full consciousness and end this madness. But, a large part of him truly was enjoying whatever this was that was going on.

Armitage had never been held before or touched so tenderly. He would dare not call this a gesture of affection, perhaps it was just circumstance. But kriff did it feel good.

Thrawn blinked a few times, eyes opening wider with each opening. It was not long before he too realized what exactly was going on.

His reaction was much more direct, tearing himself from Armitage and bolting from the room, leaving only bright slime and a red stain of blood at the foot of the bed in his wake.

After a moment’s shock, Armitage forced himself to sit up, ignoring the tightness at his groin. Not knowing what else to do, he began his routine, entering the refresher to clean himself.

His next step was to grab a protein pack from the kitchen, and he started a pot of caf. Slurping down the food mindlessly, he decided to go to the lower hall, straight to the cloning tank.

He found Thrawn there, sitting on the pedestal with his feet soaking in the reservoir of growth fluid.

“Hello.” Armitage said softly, announcing his entry.

“I am sorry to of violated you. I will be here unless you require my presence.” Thrawn turned to reveal a metal band around his wrists, binding them together with a short chain, which then connected to the center of the pedestal. “The key is there, on the table. You do not have to worry about any future incident.”

Armitage stood slack-jawed for a moment, shocked by the display before him. He picked up the key and approached.

“Thrawn, no… This isn’t necessary.”

“I am a threat to you.”

“My what? Modesty? Please, can we at least discuss this.”

“Very well.”

Armitage steeled himself, unlocking the binders on Thrawn’s wrists and tossing them aside. “Is what you have there,” he gestured to his own groin, “normal? For Chiss, I mean.”

Thrawn replied after only a short delay. “I am unsure. I was not created with the tentacles, if that is what you mean. I suspect it may be some sort of joke, seeing the original Thrawn was defeated by creatures of a similar make to this.”

Armitage was taken aback. “A joke? I don’t understand how anyone could find this to be humorous.” He took a deep breath. “Could I see it again?”

Thrawn complied, untying the cloth to reveal a smooth, bulging pouch at his groin. A smooth, thin scar surrounded it on three sides, and a pink slit adorned the center.

Thrawn used one hand to open the slit and the other to reach inside, pulling out ten of the bright pink tendrils from earlier. They hung limp now, and Armitage noticed that several of them were missing their tips, and one was simply a stub barely long enough to hang out of the pouch.

“I had never experienced them move on their own before or excrete fluid.” Thrawn said simply with no shred of shame.

“Do you know anything about human anatomy?” Armitage asked, thinking logically.

“Not much, unfortunately.” Thrawn responded.

“Well, I have a single member, and when I am experiencing a strong emotion of attraction, it has a mind of its own. Goes from being limp to standing up and if I pay it enough attention, it will also expel fluid.” Armitage explained as scientifically as he could muster, feeling it start to get ideas at the sight of the long tendrils.

Thrawn considered this, then a knowing grin crossed his lips as he noticed Armitage’s tightness. “You find me attractive, then?”

Armitage flushed a bright red. “Well, the feeling must be mutual!” He quickly pointed to a twitching tendril, beginning to bead the magenta fluid.

The Chiss studied the tendril, teasing it with his hand. He jolted in surprise as the tendril reacted to the touch, and quickly tucked the members away.

“I see. I think we should still prioritize our escape, but if you would have me in bed once again tonight, perhaps we could experiment further?”

Armitage shoved away a sudden wave of disappointment knowing that Thrawn was right in his priorities.

“Yes, I would quite like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please visit [keto's tumblr here](https://strength-through-order.tumblr.com/post/182157009151/strength-through-order-a-thing-for-jesskos-fic) to see some really wonderful art of this scene <3


	3. Electric

Amitage winced at the scratched and dented plate of durasteel that was now the front door. The object in his hands, however, made the damage well worth it. He held the arm of a nanny droid, the pincer-like hand sharpened to a sword sharp edge.

“Well, I think it’s ready.” He announced. Thrawn nodded, gesturing for the device.

“I agree, and with three days to spare.” The Chiss took the droid part from Armitage gingerly, moving to position the point under the lip of the sink. With a shove, it wedged beneath the metal basin.

Armitage could not contain his excitement and clapped his hands together, earning a slight smile from Thrawn as he began to press down on the arm, acting as a lever.

The sink groaned loudly, and a sheen of sweat quickly collected at Thrawn’s brow from the effort. It seemed hopeless, and Armitage’s hands fell back to his side as the seconds passed, palms red and blistered.

Thrawn continued to apply pressure, however, and soon a loud crack came from the sink! It began to peel away from the counter bit by bit. Armitage rushed alongside Thrawn and began to press on the arm together with the Chiss. A minute later, the sink was on the floor and a thin stream of water erupted from the exposed plumbing.

Acting quickly, Thrawn plugged the leak with the kitchen towel as Armitage practically dove into the cavity, wetting his back in the process.

“What can you see?” The Chiss asked from behind him, attempting to peer into the space around the other boy’s form.

Armitage suddenly pulled back, turning towards Thrawn with a wide grin. “It’s duracrete!”

The Chiss leaned over the hole to confirm the observation. Wide disposal pipes disappeared into a cut out wall segment about two feet by three feet large, patched in with smooth white duracrete. This could work as an escape if they could somehow punch through the less durable material.

“Yes, it is. Now the question is how to break through it.”

The two men stared down the final problem before them, the last barrier to freedom.

Armitage hummed. “In my chemistry class we just covered explosive substances. Maybe we can scrounge up enough to make a sort of home-made bomb.”

Thrawn nodded. “That is possible. We would be well off to begin on the lower level seeing I am sure Brendol ensured you did not have access to such things.”

“Right. Let’s go!”

The pair soon found themselves tearing apart the cloning laboratory looking for any in a list of chemicals that could result in a destructive way out.

Instead, Armitage found himself staring down jars filled with tentacle clippings floating in liquid. The largest jar is what truly caught his eye, within it was a full length of pink tentacle.

With a shuddering breath, Armitage moved to back away but found that he ran into Thrawn, who caught his shoulders from behind.

“Why did he do this to you?” Is all he could breathe out.

Thrawn released the human’s shoulders, and Armitage turned around to face the Chiss, finding him staring at the jars stone-faced.

“It was a form of punishment if I was not behaving properly.” He said calmly.

“That is… Barbaric.” Is all Armitage could muster, feeling rage begin to blossom in his core.

Thrawn simply shrugged.

Taking in a shaky breath, Armitage gestured to the fully intact appendage. “And that one was…”

“For crying.”

Armitage felt the tears beginning to well instantly dry before falling.

“It is over now; you do not need to become upset over this.”

Armitage whipped around to stand between Thrawn and the jars. “No! It’s not right that you were subjected to such… such…” He searched for the right word. “Torture.”

“Truly, it is in the past.” The Chiss began, attempting to walk away, but found himself held in place. Armitage reached out to hold Thrawn’s face.

The human was no longer able to hold back his emotions, and a warm droplet ran down his slender face.

Thrawn exhaled, cupping Armitage’s hands within his own, wicking away the tear with his index finger. “Life has not been fair to me since my creation. There is much I have survived that I would rather not dwell on.”

Armitage nodded, understanding where Thrawn’s statement was going.

“I am glad to have been given a new beginning from our meeting.” The Chiss leaned in, planting a gentle kiss between Armitage’s eyes. “Let us not waste our chance.”

Brought out of a daze, Armitage evened his breathing with a sigh. “Yes. Right, back to work then.”

Thrawn nodded with a kind smile and turned away, tackling another section of the lab. Armitage returned to work as well, moving away from the jars.

After the small space had been practically torn apart, the pair believed they had enough contents to create the needed charge. Back in the kitchen, Armitage anxiously combined the ingredients into a glass vessel, careful not to allow too much humidity into the product. Thrawn paced behind the human, hands clasped behind his back in anticipation.

An excruciating hour later, Armitage announced that he was complete. “All that is left is to add the liquid to ignite the charge. It will react instantly with an acid so.” He opened the refrigeration unit and pulled forth a carton. “Fruit juice will do.”

The ever perceptive Thrawn responded. “I will ignite the charge.”

Armitage squinted in the Chiss’ direction. “No, it’s far too dangerous. I understand how the chemistry will happen-“

“And you are going to burn yourself.” Thrawn responded firmly. “My reaction time is naturally faster than yours as a Chiss. Please, allow me.”

Begrudgingly, Armitage passed the glass contained over. “I hope you are telling the truth.”

Regardless of the fact, the human insisted on standing by with a pitcher of water at the ready, which after a surprisingly quiet sizzle and flash was put to use to douse some singed blue hairs caused by quickly expanding ignited gasses.

“You big liar!” Armitage shouted after ensuring no other body parts were burning.

Thrawn took a deep breath, calming himself. “I told you the truth. That explosion was just faster than a Chiss could react as well as a human.”

Tossing the pitcher aside, Armitage pulled Thrawn into a tight hug, burying his face into the Chiss’ shoulder. “Don’t scare me like that again! When you shouted I thought it was the end!”

“I assure you that I am alive and well.” Thrawn added gently, holding the human’s thin frame close. He fought against a sudden heat at his groin, the feeling strange and new but not quite uncomfortable.

After a long minute, Armitage pulled up, wiping his face dry. “Sorry… I just… I’ve never had someone I cared about before.” This was another new feeling for Thrawn.

“Armitage, you make me want to be alive. I will not recklessly endanger myself again.”

This seemed to satisfy the human, who nodded. “Thanks.”

Thrawn gently poked at Armitage’s stomach. “Might I ask the same of you? Do not think I have not noticed your habit of skipping meals.”

Armitage sighed. “Fine, it is a deal. Should we shake on it next?”

Cocking his head, Thrawn asked for clarification of the gesture.

“When two people come to an agreement, they shake hands to confirm it, almost like making a promise. Hold out your hand like so,” Armitage did as he said, Thrawn soon following. “Then we grasp each other- wait.” Armitage remembered the tenderness of Thrawn’s hands. “I think you understand the point. This matter is not serious enough to seal in such a way I’d think.”

Thrawn considered the human’s words, coming to a skewed conclusion. “It is an intimate gesture then?”

Armitage blushed a bright rosy pink. “Oh stars no! It is most used for business, politics, that sort of thing, not a mere deal among, um…” He was not sure how to classify his and Thrawn’s relationship.

Sure, they hugged a bit. And kissed.

And shared a bed together. Armitage’s blush only intensified.

“Partners?” Thrawn offered, confused by the human’s sudden change in color at what he assumed was an innocent question.

“Um, sure. A deal among partners.”

Armitage could not be sure, but he thought he saw the ghost of a disappointed pout on the Chiss’ face for a mere moment.

“Let us check the charge.”

Right. The charge. Their ticket to freedom.

Armitage grinned widely. “I am sure it worked!” He announced, walking over to the smoldering site of the explosion. Peeing into the space, a single speck of waning sunlight peeked though crumbling duracrete.

Thrawn slid behind Armitage to peer over his shoulder. The pressure against all of Armitage’s back sent a shiver down the human’s spine, feeling himself grow excited in another region as well.

“It is not perfect, but I believe we can chip through the weakened section.” Thrawn offered, peeling himself away far too soon.

“Yeah. Guess we will have to go back at it with the droid parts.” Armitage added dully, turning back towards the Chiss.

“Perhaps.” Thrawn was already wandering to the wasted remains of the droid.

“You have an idea.” Armitage said knowingly. One comes to know another well spending every waking hour with them for five days.

Thrawn crouched next to the device. “Perhaps it could be brought back into working order and set on a single task.”

“You want it to punch the wall for us?”

“Precisely.”

Now it was Thrawn’s turn to tinker, opening the service panel of the droid and setting to work rewiring the machine. Armitage sat alongside the Chiss as he worked, occasionally being sent to fetch a tool from the lab but otherwise simply giddy at how close they were to escape.

After several failed reboots, Thrawn eventually managed to power the droid on and immediately the remaining arm spasmed, shooting out repeatedly. The pair wedged the droid into the empty sink space of the counter, arming that punching motion at the weakest point in the wall. Each hit sent grit falling to the floor, slowly eroding the duracrete.

Satisfied with their work, the duo sat back.

“It is late in the day, we should eat and rest.” Thrawn stated plainly, turning to the cabinet to withdraw two rations.

Their shared meal was consumed, much to Thrawn’s pleasure. He still found the protein packs to be revolting but would stomach it if only so Armitage would do the same. Soon after eating, Armitage realized something that caused his pale skin to suddenly ghost even whiter.

Thrawn instantly recognized the change in color and gently laid a hand atop of the humans.

“Thrawn, do you feel warmer?” He asked anxiously.

The Chiss closed his eyes for a brief moment. “Yes, I do sense that the temperature is somewhat changed.”

“The breach in atmosphere was sensed by the home’s systems, shutting off the cooling unit.” Armitage said shakily. “It knows we cracked the wall.”

Thrawn’s face hardened into one of concern. “Are the home’s systems in communication with Brendol?”

Armitage thought hard about this question. “No, I don’t think so.”

The human instantly seemed relieved as he fully processed the query. “Yeah, they are not. My apologies for over reacting.”

“It is alright.” Thrawn looked up to an air vent. “Perhaps we should attempt to fall asleep before the temperature rises to an uncomfortable level.”

With that, the pair retired to Armitage’s quarters. The human sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of his next step.

The Chiss had much less hesitation, stripping off the dark tank shirt he wore before standing before Armitage, waiting for the human to settle first before he slid into the available space left over.

Armitage had never been confident in his own skin. He was tall and thin, made of bone and sharp angles with fair skin marred by a multitude of freckles across his shoulders and back. Thrawn having existed in a near nude state for most of his conscious life never had a chance to develop insecurities, but Armitage had been given twenty-one years and a critical father to do just that.

Drawing upon his earlier sensations, Armitage raised his own shirt above his head, tossing it aside. Left in only briefs, another chill ran up his spine. It was already too late when he realized he was embarrassingly hard.

In an unexpected gesture, Thrawn suddenly sat beside the human.

“Do you consider us to simply be partners?” The Chiss asked innocently. He gazed ahead to the blank wall as he spoke, as if the surface which bore witness to all of the human’s life would know the answer.   

Armitage exhaled loudly. “I do not know what to ‘consider us’ to be, Thrawn.”

“I think that I know a way we can answer this question.” Thrawn said, turning his body to face Armitage.

The human quirked an eyebrow. “That being?”

Without hesitation, Thrawn replied. “Would you have sex with me?”

“Excuse me?” Armitage gasped out, feeling his member twitch in longing.

“I have read that this is how a couple confirms their devotion to one another and-“

Armitage did not hesitate in his next action, climbing into Thrawn’s lap and pressing his forehead against Thrawn’s. He spoke in a deep whisper. “Shut up. Yes.”  

The human wrapped his leg’s around Thrawn’s back, tilting his head to indulge in a succulent kiss, tasting Thrawn and nipping at his lips.

Thrawn made a low, guttural sound, an otherworldly moan.

Daringly, Armitage palmed Thrawn’s groin, feeling a compact and writing mass. The Chiss keened his head back, sighing.

A muscular arm pressed across Armitage’s back, a gloved hand holding onto his thigh. Then, Thrawn lifted, laying Armitage down at the center of the bed then straddling above him. Armitage clutched onto Thrawn as if his life depended on it, feeling a warm flush course through his entire being.

Armitage slid his thin, delicate fingers along Thrawn’s sides, hooking his thumbs into the band of the Chiss’ pants. A pleading look from dilated red eyes was all he needed to be prompted to pull down, quickly revealing a smooth groin with that pink slit beneath a chiseled abdomen.

Remembering Thrawn’s earlier demonstration, Armitage brought two fingers to the slit’s edge, then reaching in to a surprisingly cool, moist pouch. Bright magenta tendrils shot out, grasping for a hold on the human’s wrist, seeking out friction. Thrawn released another moan, lifting Armitage’s back and leg to pull him near. The human wrapped both arms around Thrawn’s neck loosely, straining desperately against his briefs.

Thrawn quickly pulled the shorts down but was unable to make much progress with how Armitage’s legs were spread. Understanding what was needed, the human unhooked his feet and lowered his legs beneath the Chiss, allowing the dark fabric to be pulled entirely away and set aside.

Armitage wasted no time in hastily pulling himself up to meet Thrawn’s tendrils. The Chiss held his thigh again with one hand and laced the other into silky red hair. Armitage felt a thick, slick tentacle grasp onto his member instantly and shouted out in pleasure, a high-pitched cry.

Thrawn pulled his head back, looking down sincerely into Armitage’s eyes. “You okay?”

No where near being able to speak a comprehensible reply, Armitage tightened his grip around Thrawn’s neck and pulled him near, kissing him deeply as the tendrils tightened their grip most pleasurably.

Testingly, Armitage bucked his hips into Thrawn, feeling his member slide in the grasp, in and back out. Tentacles grabbed at his thighs and ass, gripping tight and encouraging the motion again with their rhythm. Thrawn gently swayed against the human. “Again… Please.” He begged breathlessly.

Armitage was glad to comply with a pleased grunt, falling into a smooth pace. It was not long before he felt himself on the edge of orgasm, his entire lower region enveloped in stimulation and his upper half tended too by Thrawn’s soft lips.

“Thrawn… I’m going to…” He whispered out, panting. He felt the hand on his thigh slip away, and a gentle pull on his member as tendrils were coaxed away. Armitage gazed confusedly up at the Chiss.

“I would like you inside… If that is alright?” Thrawn asked softly.

Armitage nodded. “Yes, of course.” He rolled his hips back so Thrawn’s soft grip could like his member up with that tight slit, and as soon as Armitage felt pressure on the tip of his cock he pressed in.

Thrawn clutched onto the human, rutting back against his thrusts in earnest as the tendrils grasped onto him with a vice grip. It took hardly a minute for Thrawn to come, slick pink essence flowing from within him as he writhed against the human. Armitage doubled his efforts but found that the overflow of come reduced all the friction to nothing. He had accepted that he would not orgasm himself when he pulled out, however Thrawn had other plans as he perched above the human.

“I would like to try something else as well.” The Chiss said, but all Armitage could focus on was how immaculate he looked, dripping with sex and passion, hair hanging in front of glowing, hungry crimson eyes. He nodded and Thrawn quickly lowered himself, taking the throbbing member into his mouth in one motion. Armitage cried out again, clutching at the sheets for purchase as Thrawn’s tongue circled his head before he took it all in again, repeating the motion over and over.

Armitage’s climax was a desperate scream, tugging on Thrawn’s dark hair to pull the Chiss away, but Thrawn held steady, swallowing all of Armitage’s essence.

The Chiss then inhaled Armitage’s musk deeply, the scent mingling with his own. Next, he laid a trail of kisses along the human, traveling back to those tender lips. Their kiss was electric.

Pulling away, the beings tried to catch their breath.

“Thrawn?”

“Yes?”

“I loved that.”

“It was very enjoyable, I agree. You certainly taste better than those abominable protein pack meals.”

A short chuckle and pause was shared between them.

“Thrawn?”

“Yes?”

“I loved that sex. And I love the future we are going to have together.”

“I am excited to begin this new life as well.”

Armitage shook his head. He was not finished speaking but was still breathless and needed to inhale before continuing.

“Thrawn, I love you.”

This time, Thrawn was the one to reply with a kiss, only pulling back for one simple statement.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, there is a chapter added to the final count! I hope to get a finale/epilogue out soon for you all! It will probably end up being more than 1 chapter whoops!


	4. Visitor

The following morning, Armitage woke up to an empty bed, coated in a thin sheen of sweat from the warmth of the room. As he began recalling the events of the night before, he was rightfully confused and immediately concerned. He soon slipped on his briefs and rushed down to the bottom floor, storming into the lab and finding it somewhat disturbed. Items were shifted and most strangely put away - a contrast to the mess he’d seen the day before.

Taking a quick inventory, Armitage realized the jars containing preserved tentacles were no longer where he had left them. Lines of concern etched themselves into his face as he called for Thrawn, checking the other rooms of the floor before heading up to the main level.

His expression instantly melted into a grin when the sight to behold on the main level greeted his eyes.

Thrawn, or at least his lower half, was visible bent over so he could reach into the hole in the counter they had created. Presumably he was adjusting the droid, but the sight of him in only that small cloth left much to be admired for Armitage.

Feeling heat rise to his cheeks along with a sneaky grin, Armitage quietly snuck behind Thrawn.

“Good morning, Armitage.”

Kark, he was caught! Not dissuaded, he pressed himself against toned blue legs, gently rubbing small circles along Thrawn’s spine with his thumbs.

“Good morning to you as well, Thrawn.” A quick kiss between the shoulder blades was delivered. “How’s the progress?”

Thrawn straightened, allowing Armitage to rest his chin on his shoulder. “It is about this large now.” He held up his hands, creating a loop using both thumbs and index fingers.

“Not bad at all!” Armitage announced, peering over Thrawn to try and look inside himself to no avail. Knowingly, Thrawn stepped aside to let Armitage peek into the hole, confirming his statement. He rested his hand on the small of Armitage’s back, who turned to him with a smile.

“How long have you been awake?”   
  
Thrawn seemed to avoid eye contact when replying. “A few hours.”

Armitage crossed his arms. “Define a few.”

A light blush populated blue cheeks. “Four…”

With a light sigh, Armitage turned to the brewer. “I’ll start some caf.”

“Thank you.”

After a short breakfast and another adjustment to the droid, Armitage decided to ask what had been nagging at the back of his mind.

“I noticed that you cleaned the lab.”

Thrawn nodded, eyeing Armitage somewhat suspiciously. “Yes. I did. Nothing is missing, if that is what you mean to ask.”

Armitage felt a pang of anger. “Then where did you put them?”

“Away.”

Armitage opened his mouth to say he had a right to know where, but quickly remembered whose property those truly were. He slumped down in the chair. “Sorry.”

“It is alright. You have a right to ask.”

“Still, it was not kind of me.” Armitage pressed.

“That’s quite fine.”

“No, it’s not! Please let me be wrong for once!” It wasn’t until then Armitage realized he had raised his voice. “Sorry… It is not normal for me to be with someone so…  _ forgiving _ .”

“It is alright,” Thrawn replied flatly, face free of emotion.

“Thrawn, please stop saying that! Can you just accept the apology?”

“The apology is accepted.”

Armitage shook his head feverishly. “No, no! That’s not right either!”

Thrawn replied only a second later, plainly as if discussing simple business. “How would you prefer me to respond?”

“I don’t want to give you a preference, Thrawn! I want you to be honest with me!”

“I have not lied to you.”

“Stars! How thick are you?” Armitage rose from his chair, leaning across the table partially. “That’s not what I fracking meant!”

Thrawn’s mouth opened, but only a staggering breath escaped.

Armitage’s face morphed into a look of disgust. “You really don’t get it, do you?” He pulled himself away, standing up straight.

It was too late when he noticed a single glistening drop rolling down Thrawn’s face, his body tensed as if expecting a reprimand.

“I will strive to not disappoint you again, Armitage.” His voice was shaky and his eyes were wide with fear.

“Oh no. No no no! I am so sorry, Thrawn. I shouldn’t have said those things.” Armitage clutched his face in his hands, flopping down into the chair.

Thrawn only stared ahead, the droplet of water falling from his chin, obviously conflicted on how to respond.

Armitage decided to not give him the chance. “Thrawn, might I ask something of you?”

The Chiss nodded once, slowly.

“Please hold me accountable for my actions.”

Thrawn seemed to consider this. “I will. Thank you for apologizing.” The words had much more meaning beneath them, but it would not be expressed. Not yet, at least.

Armitage seemed pleased with the reply, smiling weakly. Thrawn’s face softened in return.

“Armitage, I do not intend to punish you, if that is what you mean for accountable. However, there is a large favor I might ask of you.”

Armitage perked up, straightening his back. “Yes, anything.”

“It is about the jars…” Thrawn began, cautiously. “I believe that there may be a way to reincorporate the specimens to my body.”

“And you would like my help to do this.”

“Yes, but if you do not wish to I understand. It will be quite gruesome a process.” 

Armitage hardly even considered not performing the favor. “I do not believe it could be worse than the dissections I have performed for biology classes. At the very least I will have a good view.” He chuckled softly.

Thrawn wiped his eye as casually as he could muster. “Then let us begin.”

The Chiss led the way down to the lab, revealing the jars placed in a low cabinet. Armitage chastised himself for being so suspicious about the whole thing, but the past could not be changed. He would try and be more trusting into the future.

There were four jars total, three smaller containing severed sections and one large, which held an entire tendril within it. The bright pink specimen was expertly preserved and cleanly severed.

“The bacta will do most of the work for you,” Thrawn began. “The only thing you must do it line the blood vessels up properly and ensure a tight connection, then apply the bacta.”

It sounded much easier than it would be, with each connection requiring small stitches to hold it in place during the healing process while not puncturing internal veins or muscle.

“The bacta will also minimize any pain you might feel. If we are lucky, you may even pass out.” Armitage was merely half-joking. He would feel much better about this if Thrawn was unconscious.

Without further comment, Thrawn pulled himself onto a cleared metal table, arm muscles flexing momentarily. Armitage did not allow it to distract him.

“Let’s begin, then.”

He slowly removed the thin cloth from Thrawn’s groin, setting it aside on the table. Next, with gloved hands, he gingerly inserted two fingers into Thrawn’s slit, stretching it. The Chiss hissed quietly, and Armitage turned to him.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, just feels strange to be touched when unaroused.”

“Hey, the scrubs are not that ugly, are they?”

Thrawn smirked. “That is not what I meant.”

“I know. Please hold still.”

Armitage turned back to the slit, gently coaxing it open until he could reach inside to pull out several tentacles. Quickly, he isolated one of the longer stubs and measured its diameter.

He turned to the jars to locate a match, quickly finding it after only one other trial. One blessing they did have was that all the cuts were irregular so that it was easier to find the match for each stub.

A short inspection of the section found that it had not even been allowed to scab over, and the tendril leaked blood onto Armitage’s stark-white gloves. After plunging the tendril into a bacta soak, he selected a sharp scalpel from the tray and, without warning, sliced into the stub attached to Thrawn, removing the scabbed upper layer so the nerve endings would be able to contact one another.

Thrawn tensed tightly, tendrils going taut and blood gushing from the open muscle.

“Love, I need you to relax.” Armitage said sweetly.

Thrawn exhaled loudly, releasing much of the tension. As Armitage held the stub upright, other tendrils flailed around his arm. Paying this no mind, he fished out the awaiting section and turned it so that the inner workings would align.

In one motion he connected the base to the tip, gripping the bond tightly in his grip as he next selected a long, sharp needle.

“Almost done.” He said under his breath as he began the first stitch. Armitage was sure to only pierce the thick, smooth skin of the tentacle as he made his way around the appendage. Fourteen stitches later, the length of the tendril was woven with black thread, and he soon injected more bacta into the seam. Armitage realized it had gone limp, and hoped it was just a side effect of the bacta.

“One done.” Thrawn said, sounding strained. Armitage leaned over him and kissed the space between his eyebrows. It was soaked in sweat.

“You did so well.”

Turning back to the task at hand, Armitage selected the next tentacle in need of repair and repeated the same process as before. This time, however, Thrawn did not tense at the initial cut.

After tying off the thread, Armitage dared a glance to find the Chiss holding onto the edges of the table in a white-knuckle grip, teeth bared. His eyes seemed glazed over, tears mixing with sweat as they streamed from the corners. Armitage quickly got to work injecting the bacta, setting the tendril down when finished. He refrained from saying how much more was left, knowing the next tendril was in four sections and would take that many times as long.

After stitching together that taxing piece, Armitage could see the process of operating on such a sensitive part of Thrawn’s anatomy was truly starting to take its toll. The Chiss’ breaths were labored, and his skin felt increasingly warm. It did not help that the temperature in the lab was uncomfortably hot.

“Would you like to take a break?” Armitage offered as he gingerly set down the delicate tentacle.

Thrawn took a minute to catch his breath. “No, please continue.”

“Alright, but first I would like to bring your temperature down a bit. This can not be healthy.”

“I have endured worse.”

Armitage sighed. “This does not need to be a bad thing.” He took a cloth from the table and dunked it in the cool bacta bath, then placed it on Thrawn’s forehead. “There.”

Thrawn offered a weak smile. “Thank you.”

At this stage, Armitage hoped the dose to the head would be enough to knock out his patient.

Midway through the next tendril, the bacta would take its course and Armitage noticed an evening of Thrawn’s breaths, gazing over to see his eyes shut. His face was not quite slack, but more relaxed than it had been. Armitage would take this window to then tackle the largest tentacle as Thrawn would be entirely still and not feel the pain of such a tender slice.

Reaching into the pouch, Armitage pulled fourth the shortest stub, hardly long enough to come out of the slit at all.

He gritted his teeth and used the scalpel to slowly peel away the top layer. Thick blood oozed out, coating the hand he used to hold it in place. For once, he thanked his father for beating the gag reflex and squeamishness out of him.

Quickly and precisely, he wrangled the long, limp mass into place, stitching the pieces together with precision. As he set it down, Armitage could swear he felt it twitch.

A soft groan announced that Thrawn was returning to consciousness. Armitage elected not to acknowledge this fact and got to work matching the next tendril. Thrawn remained still, probably in a daze and numb to the pain. It was for the best.

Several rounds later, Armitage finally tied the last knot, securing the final piece into place. He moved to the other end of the table, looming above Thrawn with a nervous smile. 

“All done.”

The Chiss blinked twice, processing the statement. Then, without warning, he reached up, wrapping two arms around Armitage and pulling the human close.

“Hey now, careful!” Armitage protested, but he melted into the embrace. “Take it easy, I don’t want anything to tear.”

Thrawn laughed softly, a breathy sound. “I will be careful, if only for you, love.”

After a minute held together, Thrawn released Armitage to stand back up. The blood from the teal shirt he wore had rubbed onto Thrawn’s slick skin, creating unsightly maroon patches.

“Let me wash you up, then you will rest down here while I adjust the droid. It is cooler downstairs than on the main level.”

Thrawn pursed his lips, not entirely happy with the suggestion but in no state to protest.

“Very well.” 

Armitage turned to the small wash basin, soaking a towel in water before returning to Thrawn. Methodically he scrubbed every inch of exposed skin, being very careful around the freshly connected tendrils. They still sat limp. The effects of bacta could last several hours to a day, Armitage reminded himself… even longer if the substance is reapplied, which Armitage intended to do twice a day until the wounds fully healed.

Once satisfied that Thrawn was clean, Armitage used a larger, soft towel to pat the smooth blue skin dry. He peppered a few gentle kisses in as well, which were met with pleased hums.

Setting a light blanket atop the Chiss once dry, Armitage leaned down to plant a chaste kiss to Thrawn’s lips. “I will bring you some water when I am finished.”

Thrawn agreed to lay still and Armitage went back up to the ground floor, hit with a wave of heat when the lift doors opened. Wanting to get back to the Chiss as soon as possible, he strode straight to the pounding droid. The hole had grown a bit since the morning, slow but consistent progress. Armitage shifted the arm slightly and then turned to the cupboard.

He filled one glass with water and set it on the counter as he filled the next. Once finished, he had one empty and one full glass in his hands.

“Wait a second.”

Armitage frowned at the empty glass and set the full one down, refilling the other. Once again, he found himself facing an empty glass, this time turned over. A puddle of water was on the floor.

“Thrawn is that you?” He said loudly. “I thought I told you to stay downstairs!”

When there was no reply, Armitage decided to lay a bit of a trap, setting the full glass down before turning to fill the other. Before the glass was full, however, he whipped around to see a flash of orange ducking into the hole in the counter.

“I saw that.” He said quietly, stalking over to the spot. Peering in, that same orange blur tackled him to the ground.

Raising his head from the floor, Armitage saw an orange and brown tooka kitten sitting on his chest. Her round eyes and dopey smile peered down at him.

Armitage stared at the creature for a moment before setting his head back down, sniggering through his nose. “Trying to beat the heat as well, eh?”

He sat up, the kitten settling in his lap as he pat the fur between the large pointed ears atop its head.

“I do apologize but I have to bring this water to my dear. Perhaps a peace offering is in order.”

The tooka purred in reply and Armitage rose to his feet. The kitten rubbed against his ankles as he set a bowl of water on the counter, then emptied a protein pack into a dish.

“Only the finest in condensed nutrition for you.” He beamed, amused by the small being now quickly lapping up the food set before it. “What should I call you…”

He shook his head, getting back to the task at hand. “We will decide that later, now I must go down stairs.”

Armitage drank down one of the glasses and then made his way back to the turbolift but found a second passenger slipped in next to him as the doors closed. Raising an eyebrow, he let the creature be.

Back on the lowest floor, the tooka trailed behind Armitage’s heels as he walked back to where Thrawn lay. It appeared he had not moved and opened his eyes as Armitage approached.

Thrawn weakly lifted his head up, and Armitage helped prop it upright with a folded towel. The Chiss moved as to take the cup from Thrawn, but Armitage gently held his hand down.

“Please, allow me. It has been a long morning for you.”

Thrawn pouted in a silent protest but accepted the help, allowing Armitage to raise the glass to his lips where he drank deeply.

Finished with the water, Armitage set the glass aside and turned to find the kitten nestled down next to Thrawn, curled in the crook of his arm.

“I see you made a new friend.” Thrawn said teasingly as Armitage let out a laugh. 

“Yes, well... food can be quite persuasive.”

The kitten’s ears twitched at the word ‘food’ and purred loudly.

“She is beautiful.” Thrawn added, seemingly amazed by the being pressed against him.

“She?”

“Yes, I had a very clear view when she stepped over my face.”

“Oh. Well then. She it is.”

Thrawn laughed softly. “She is not her name, Armitage. What should it be?”

Armitage thought for a moment, chewing his bottom lip. Finally, he decided. “Millicent.”

Thrawn quirked an eyebrow. “Hm. I like it. Might I ask where that came from?”

“When I was a child I had a book of poems. One of them was about an adventuring Loth Wolf who ventured across the plains looking for her family. The author of this poem’s name was Millicent. I think it’s fitting.”

“I agree. One day you will have to share this poem with me.”

Armitage beamed. “I will! But first, we must get you rested up.” His expression melted as he looked over to the cloning tank at the end of the room. That would be their best option for a swift recovery, but he internally cringed at the memory of the last time Thrawn was within it.

The Chiss followed Armitage’s line of sight and sighed. “I will be sleeping the whole time, it will be alright.”

“Well, I am going to stay right here with you.”

Thrawn did not protest. “Can I sit up all the way now?”

“Yes, but let me just--” Armitage slid an arm underneath Thrawn. “There. Okay, now. Slowly.

Thrawn winced as his core muscles tightened but followed through on the motion. Soon, the balls of his feet were on the ground as he stood, tentacles hanging down limply between his legs.

“Careful walking…” Armitage whispered.

“I will be.” Thrawn said, leaning over for a short kiss before taking his first step. He seemed stable, but Armitage kept an arm around his back for support.

At Thrawn strode, the heavy tendrils swollen with blood and bacta swayed in tune with his steps and the Chiss flushed a deep purple. “This is…” He seemed lost for words.

“Embarrassing? Don’t worry about it.” Armitage offered. “You have been so strong through this.”

“Thank you, but no. It is strange feelings. They are not quite numb, but not as feeling as I am used to.”

“I see. That would be a side effect of the bacta.”

“Mhm. I assumed as much.”

Then, they were atop the platform of the cloning tank. Thrawn stood alone at the center and gave Armitage a brave smile.

Armitage activated the chamber and it began to fill with the clear fluid.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Armitage. Until next time, when that hole, and the rest of the galaxy, is ready for us.”

“Sounds perfect.” 

“Oh, and do eat some lunch.”

Armitage chuckled. “I will.”

With that, the water rose above Thrawn’s head and he closed his eyes, reacclimating himself to the narrow tube. Armitage sat beside it, Millicent joining at his side, tail flicking curiously.

Once Armitage was sure that Thrawn was truly asleep, he turned to Millicent. “Well, you heard him. It is time for lunch.”

Armitage spent the rest of the day cycling between adjusting the droid, eating, and sitting beside Thrawn’s resting form. The hours dragged by, and he was glad to have a new companion to calm his nerves.

After such an exciting morning, it was he was exhausted. However, Armitage could not bring himself to abandon Thrawn’s side for more than a few minutes at a time. A voice at the back of his head told him that Thrawn would want him to rest, but he hated to think of what might happen should Thrawn wake up alone.

While he debated what to do, Millicent curled up against the cool surface of the cloning tank, quickly falling asleep as well. Thrawn would not be entirely alone, he concluded, and hesitantly dragged himself up to his room where he passed out nearly as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Once again, his day began in an empty bed.


	5. Sculpture

Thrawn’s eyes shot open. The room seemed vacant, that was good. He might have the morning to himself before the lessons began.

His creator’s schedule was often random, some weeks he would spend upwards of twelve hours under the man’s critical eye each day. Then, he would go a month in complete solitude, nothing but glass walls and the dull hum of the filter to keep him company.

Something brushed against his leg, the sensation strange. Slowly, Thrawn inclined his head to see what sort of debris might have caused this.

A bloom of pink tentacles floated aimlessly about his groin, many of them having thick lines of stitching holding them in one piece.

Thrawn gently prodded at one of the stiches, and felt a dull pain reverberate through his core, causing him to grit his teeth. Had there been any air in his lungs, he would hiss.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap._

So, he was not alone after all. Thrawn twisted around to the source of the noise and found some animal prints imprinted on the glass.

_Tap._

There is was again, the sound. A long, leathery foot with sharp claws rapped against the glass, almost lazily. Through the distortion of the growth liquid and curved glass, Thrawn could make out that the foot was attached to a furry orange body, large black eyes staring up at him from its head.

Right. This was Millicent. Armitage told him that. She was a friend, nothing to be afraid of.

So, where was Armitage? The memories of the past week hit him at once. Thrawn could not help but smile as he recalled the situation at hand.

He lowered himself to the bottom of the tank, pressing his hand against where Millicent pawed. The loth cat responded by scratching at his palm playfully. Internally chuckling, Thrawn spun in the tank, dragging his fingertips along the glass.

When he reached the front, Thrawn realized that Millicent stepped on the release key and the growth liquid began to drain. The Chiss rose to his feet, acting quickly to catch Millicent as she jumped into his arms purring wildly.

“Thank you, sweet creature.” He said softly, scratching the loth cat’s belly.

Taking a reckless step off the platform, Thrawn winced as a raw tentacle slapped against his thigh. Millicent leapt out of his arms and stalked towards the door, meowing at Thrawn to follow her.

Not wanting to disappoint, and hoping to greet Armitage before he woke, Thrawn steadied the tendrils as best as he could with his hands as he walked behind the loth cat towards the lift.

Armitage nearly spat out his caf at the sight approaching him. Millicent strode proudly, tail flicking in the air as she walked down the hall from the lift. Behind her, Thrawn practically waddled, hunched over splayed legs with inwards-turned knees.

When Thrawn realized he was being watched, his entire form flushed as he tried to stand up straighter with a dignified expression. It was a good attempt but hardly successful.

“Thank you for yesterday.” He blurted out from across the room.

Gathering himself, Armitage set down his mug and rose from his seat. “How did you get out?”

Thrawn smiled coyly. “I had help of the feline variety.”

Armitage’s gaze moved to Millicent, who was flopped over on her side and batting a speck of dust between her feet. He was still rather confused but decided not to push the topic. “Well, I am glad that you could join me for breakfast.” Nude. Thrawn was completely, fully, one hundred percent nude.

Acting on instinct, Armitage picked up a chair and walked towards Thrawn with it. “Please, sit down. I’ll go get your gloves.”

Thrawn gingerly lowered himself into the seat, leaving red handprints on the arm rests. Having been distracted by the pain of the tendrils, he’d not fully noticed the burning sensation in his hands until now. “Thank you, Armitage.

The human simply nodded before rushing off to the lab.

Closing the curtain, Armitage felt the familiar tightness at his groin and opened the first fastener of his trousers. Thrawn needed to heal, he needed to rest in the cloning chamber, but kriff if Armitage didn’t miss him that night. Dream about him.

He pictured the Chiss before him, laid across the metal table, tendrils whipping out, grasping for him.

Armitage palmed himself on top of his briefs, pressing his back against the wall to steady himself. 

The sight of bloody footprints leading through the room instantly sobered him. The vision of Thrawn vanished instantly, and Armitage felt like a fool. There were much more pressing matters than his own pleasure and he re-fastened his pants, swiping the gloves and socks off the table with a long exhale. After soaking them in the growth liquid, Armitage returned to the kitchen. Thrawn remained where he had left him, observing the repetitive jerking motion of the droid.

Thrawn accepted the clothing and slipped them on, only breaking his line of sight to gaze into the grey-green of Armitage’s eyes. “Is it nearly ready?” He asked.

“Not quite when I woke up, but I will go check again for you.”

Armitage stalked over to the device and peered into the hole in the wall, about a foot across now. It was about time to adjust the droid, so he did that while he was there. He turned and approximated the size of the hole with his hands. “Almost there.”

Thrawn smiled thinly. “Good, I am not sure how much longer I can sit around in this heat.”

“Yes, it’s getting rather unbearable, isn’t it?” Armitage conceded, afraid to read the thermostat.

As if on demand, a bead of sweat dripped off Thrawn’s nose. “Have you eaten yet?” he asked.

Armitage was too distant to try and lie. “No, not yet.”

“Then let us both do so.” Thrawn said, trying to stand from the seat. A hand on his shoulder stopped him from the effort.

“I’ll bring the table to you.” Armitage offered. Thrawn didn’t like seeming helpless but accepted the proposal.

With a grunt, the human pushed the dining table towards Thrawn, then fetched a chair and two rations. “Cheers.” He said flatly, tossing a protein pack to Thrawn before sitting across from the Chiss.

“Thank you.” The Chiss replied, tearing open the foil. The flavor continued to surprise him in a most unpleasant way.

As Armitage ate, he considered how much time had passed. Seeing the state Thrawn was in, when they left it would be slow going, and somehow, he would have to be able to provide medical supplies for the continued healing of the wounds. Their best chance would be to get a head start against Brendol’s return, but there was still so much to account for. Plus, they still had not breached the wall wide enough for an exit even. All these variables quickly left the human with a headache.

Thrawn, ever perceptive, noticed a change in Armitage’s body language. His brow tightened and breathing became less even.

“Is everything alight?” He asked innocently.

Armitage nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah, just thinking.”

Thrawn paused for a moment, considering the reply. “You are worried about my physical health.”

Armitage narrowed his eyes. “Can Chiss read minds too now?” He asked with a light laugh. Thrawn gave him a sarcastic glance. “Sorry. But yes, I am concerned about how we will be able to travel in our, uh, current state.”

“And be able to procure supplies?”

Slumping in his chair, Armitage agreed. “Yes, that too.”

A silent pause passed between the pair.

Finally, Thrawn spoke up, setting down an emptied protein pack. “Is there anything of value here, that is not directly tied to Brendol?”

Armitage perked instantly when an idea struck him. “The prototypes!”

Thrawn cocked his head. “Prototypes?” He asked, the word coming out slightly distorted by his accent.

“Down on the bottom floor in the other room there are prototype weapons. It means that they are a test for something before it is actually built.”

“I see.” Thrawn replied, deep in thought. “And these are valuable?”

“Extremely.” Armitage said, with a thin grin. “And they can’t be traced back to my father either, he’s been too careful because if it comes out that he’s been holding new technology back from the Order they would have him executed.” Armitage stood up, ready to inspect the collection. “You look like the inventor type, no?”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Thrawn questioned, genuinely perplexed.

“What I am saying is that you can go to the market as an outside merchant, someone from the outer rim or whatever, with these prototypes for sale. From what I saw there should be enough fire power stored here to set us up for a long while.”

“I am not sure a Chiss will be well received in your market.” Thrawn said flatly. “From what I have learned, my people are more a legend than a reality in this part of the galaxy.”

Armitage had an answer for this detail. “That’s why you will have a disguise. Cover the red eyes and you pass for a Pantoran.”

A confused glance caused Armitage to continue. “Leave it to my father to not educate you on alien species. Pantorans are near humans with blue skin not unlike your own. They are common enough here that no one will raise an eyebrow.”

“We just will have to hide my eyes.”

“Exactly.” Armitage tossed the empty wrapping of his breakfast aside, where Millicent pounced on it, batting it across the room.

“Now then, I’ll get you set up here and then head downstairs. Let’s keep you off your feet as much as we can from here on out.”  

Thrawn opened his mouth to protest, but did not speak, knowing it was in their best interest that he heals as much as possible before their escape.

Armitage offered his hand to the Chiss. “Care to move to the couch? You can lay down there.”

Thrawn grasped the hand in his own and rose to his feet, grunting softly from the effort. Wrapping an arm around the human’s thin shoulders, he slowly made his way to the living room, ignoring the shooting pain between his legs.

After an agonizing fifteen steps, Armitage helped the Chiss lower down onto the couch. The positioning of his hand, however, lead to the human being pulled down with him, ending up kneeling above Thrawn, faces inches apart.

Thrawn smiled thinly. “Thank you, this is much more comfortable.”

“Of course.” Armitage replied, voice shaky. There he was, straddling Thrawn’s naked form. Unconsciously, his eyes traced the details of his face, down his neck to defined shoulders.

Thrawn lifted his head to gently peck Armitage’s nose. “What are you looking at?” He asked in a soft and playful tone. The human’s cheeks glowed a warm pink as his eyes shot back up from their wanderings.

“N-nothing.” He stammered, trying to sit up but rather slipped down, face falling to rest on Thrawn’s chest. A gloved hand came to rest at the nape of his neck, gently stroking the tender skin there. Armitage felt chills run down his spine.

“I should go get some bacta for you now…” Armitage said, pushing himself up but finding the hand at his neck to be unyielding.

“I can wait. Please, rest a moment.” Thrawn felt the human’s heart rate against his core, the pace unsettlingly fast. Armitage was worried about every little detail which, although an admirable trait, was not necessary. They had a plan, and they would succeed.  

With a gentle sigh, the human nestled against Thrawn’s cool skin. “Alright…”

Using his other hand, Thrawn traced small shapes along the length of Armitage’s spine. Armitage felt small and delicate, folded like paper to envelop him.

Carefully, Thrawn slipped off the gloves, wanting to truly feel the object of his affection. He hesitated at the hem of the human’s shirt.

“May I?”

“Yeah. Please.”

Armitage raised himself slightly for the thin shirt to be pulled over his head, sliding his arms out of it before wrapping them around Thrawn’s neck. Thrawn set the garment on the arm of the couch and closed his eyes.

Gentle as a breeze, he ran his fingertips along the curve of Armitage’s back, earning a soft coo from the man.

Thrawn took in every detail he could, from short, silky hairs to the dusting of freckles atop his shoulders. He noticed Armitage’s heart rate slow considerably, his breaths becoming even and drawn out. It was peaceful.

A light shiver brought Thrawn out of his reverent trance. The home was far too hot to explain such an action from the human, had there been a breeze?

Opening his eyes, Thrawn surveyed the scene before him to no avail. Armitage’s pale eyelashes flickered as he peered up at Thrawn with a knowing grin. Without warning, the human sat up, straddling the Chiss once again.

“Look, it worked.” Armitage whispered, gaze set down.

Thrawn propped himself up on his elbows and quickly became aware of the situation. Everything suddenly felt more intense as his skin prickled, sensitive tendrils pulling at the man atop him, seeking out his partner. Armitage, and the couch, were dripping with ice cold pink fluid from the writhing tentacles, moving slow and drunkenly but very much alive and feeling.

It was almost too much for Thrawn, who felt frozen in place, unable to speak a coherent sentence. In a daze, he raised his head to look up at Armitage with a giddy grin. The human did not meet his gaze but rather peered down at his handiwork, gently stroking a tendril with his hand which in return wrapped around his wrist and pulled down.

Taking a deep breath, Thrawn raised himself further to plant a kiss on Armitage’s stomach. “You are the most beautiful being…” He murmured into soft, warm flesh. He felt the human’s fingers tease at his slit and felt Armitage’s erect member bob against his chin.

This time, when red eyes flicked up, they met grey irises.

“You have completed me.”

“Thrawn…” Armitage hummed in a playfully contradictory tone.

Thrawn delicately nuzzled against the human’s abdomen, tracing a line of orange fuzz along his stomach with his exposed fingers. “When I touch you, I feel no pain, only joy.”

The Chiss slowly lay back onto his elbow, tracing along Armitage’s side up to his chest. He raised his hips, causing Armitage’s fingers to dip inside him. Thrawn hummed in pleasure. “None will every care for me as you do, Armitage.” He purred.

Armitage inserted his hand further, stroking every slick surface he met. His forearm became buried within twisting tendrils. “Thrawn…” He began, in a sincere voice. “You free me.” Hitching a finger in the waist band of his pants, the human tugged them down to his knees. Thrawn’s hand quickly traced back down along his front and flipped down the band of the human’s briefs.

A single tendril left the group on Armitage’s arm to wrap around the slender, pink cock. Armitage noticed this to be the one originally having been cut at the base and lowered himself into its embrace.

Quickly, they learned each other’s rhythm, and were on the edge of orgasm. Breathlessly, Thrawn murmured sweet nothings that dissipated into moans and hums as he came, cold liquid flooding him and leaking out. As the tendril tightened on Armitage’s member, he came, a burst of hot come splashing across Thrawn’s chest.

Catching his breath, the human lowered himself to lay atop Thrawn, chin resting in his hand as he traced patters in the white and pink come. Thrawn raised his head to observe the artistic process. “A true masterwork.” He joked, raising a hand to wipe away spirals and stars. “I am rather sick of art however.”

Armitage chuckled. “Seems a little out of character for you.”

“One can only study a moss painting for so long before going insane.” Thrawn admitted with a shrug.

“That is how I often feel about arithmetic…” Armitage added with a look on his face that spoke of many long nights spent calculating sums against his will. Thrawn gently cupped his cheek.

“Another deal then, I will never ask you to perform mathematical operations so long as I am not forced to look upon another piece of art.”

Armitage considered this. “Define art.”

“Paintings, sculpture, pruned vegetation. That sort of thing, something shaped for aesthetic appeal.” Thrawn offered plainly, toying with the orange locks of hair that had fallen across Armitage’s forehead.

“Very well, but what about music, or poetry?”

Thrawn looked very sternly into Armitage’s eyes. “I would never dare banish poetry from my life.”

Armitage could not tell if this was a joke or if the Chiss truly was dead serious, but he would play along with it, appreciating the sentiment.

“I can agree with this deal, then.” Armitage added with an air of importance. He stooped down to place his lips against Thrawn’s.

After a long and loving kiss, Armitage stood up, knees cracking as he straightened his legs. “Regardless of need for bacta, I do think I ought to go look at the weapons and get you a towel.”

Thrawn sarcastically pouted for a moment but understood, making himself comfortable on the couch.  Armitage disappeared for a minute and returned dried off and in a new pair of trousers. He had not replaced his shirt, which Thrawn appreciated as he took a large, soft white towel from the human.

Stopping in the kitchen, Armitage refilled Millicent’s water and food dishes, earing a loud purr from the feline. Then, he made the trek down to the lower floor.

* * *

 

“That’s the last one.” Armitage said, turning from the hole in the wall back to Thrawn. “All that’s left is us.” He wore a white tank shirt with black pants and boots, hair messily slicked back with a few stray pieces escaping the style. There was a long, dark jacket packed away for their travels, but wearing it in the oven of a house was the last think Armitage wanted to do.

On the other side of the wall were several large bags loaded with spare clothing and prototype weapons, shoved out into the yard.

Millicent made her presence known with a loud meow, jumping up on the counter.

“Yes, that includes you too.” Armitage added, patting the cat between her large ears.

Thrawn stepped up next to Armitage, standing before their escape route. He had donned a plain grey shirt and black pants with tall boots. Long black gloves covered most of his forearm, and covered fingers traced the edge of the hole in the counter where a sink had once been.

Both hearts fluttered quickly, breaths short.

“After you.” Thrawn said softly. Armitage made no move to leave, in awe of this moment.

Annoyed by the human’s still hand, Millicent ducked away and into the hole in the counter, then out of the gap in the wall.

Both beings turned to each other and laughed. Thrawn took Armitage’s hand in his own. “I’ll help you up.”

“Alright.” Armitage replied breathlessly, sitting on the counter then swinging his legs into the gap, not releasing a gentle grip on Thrawn’s hand.

Thrawn hopped up onto the counter next, slipping his legs into the other side. “I will be right behind you.”

With a nod, Armitage lowered himself into the space under the counter, faced the gap in the wall, and pulled himself through.

His hands landed on plush, wet grass. Overcast evening sunlight sparkled in his bright hair, and a cool breeze tickled his arms. He stood up to see the large property his father’s home sat on sprawl out around him, murky forests blocking the horizon.

Strong arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him close.

“We made it.”

“Yeah, we did.” Armitage smiled wide, turning around in Thrawn’s grasp to embrace his love.

Lightning struck, illuminating a gravel path leading into the forest.

An ominous clap of thunder sounded in the distance, breaking their embrace and signaling an oncoming storm.

Armitage lead the way to their new life, even an onslaught of rain could not dampen his mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To think chapter 3 was originally going to be the epilogue... I hope you enjoy!  
> Final chapter coming soon~


	6. Epilogue

The trip to the Arkanis Capitol City was meticulously planned out by Armitage. They would arrive, finalize a deal to sell off the last of the prototype blasters, then take the first transport off planet to meet a classmate of Armitage’s who offered a room in her flat to the pair after a rather lengthy holocall.

Only a sliver of the sun peeked over a foggy horizon as Thrawn and Armitage entered the spaceport, already bustling with activity. Armitage carried a single bag, all other items sold off the night before, that contained the wares and their spare clothing.

The rain encouraged the bulkier items to simply be worn, Armitage in a long black overcoat with a weatherproof coating giving it a slick appearance, laid over a fitted black tunic and red pants. Meanwhile, Thrawn wore more formal attire. Armitage had crafted a farce of a wealthy Pantoran who had bought a research lab that had gone under after several explosive accidents and was now selling off his investment, wanting to back away from the risky weapons business with the continued growth of the First Order. Thus, Thrawn was adorned in an iridescent cloak whose folds caught the light in a dazzling way, creating a jewel like effect when interacting with the droplets of rain that gathered on its hood. Brendol had bought the effect to impress some opera star, but now it was the centerpiece of Thrawn’s disguise.

Beneath the cloak Thrawn wore a white shirt with loose sleeved and tight black pants tucked into thigh high riding boots, left over from the time Brendol had considered enlisting his son as a Fatheir jockey. Young Armitage certainly was the correct build for the role, thin and tall, but his fear of the beasts had ultimately ended that dream. With this, the Chiss wore narrow green sunshades, the color of the lenses canceling the dim red glow of his eyes.

Thrawn stuck out like a white tooka cat among the beige masses within the spaceport, but that was the entire point of the outfit. Armitage lowered the brim of his cap to hide his eyes and slip into the background when today’s business partner, a green skinned Rodian, was spotted.

Thrawn quickly closed the distance between them, large steps causing his cloak to billow behind him in a way Armitage could not ignore, and the masses parted before the Chiss almost reverently. The Rodian crossed her arms, leaning against a support beam.

“Dianas?” Thrawn asked, stopping a few feet before her.

“Yes, that is me. You really ought to not draw such attention to yourself.” The Rodian commented, looking over her shoulder. A shorter, stocky male stood behind her, hand hovering over his blaster.

Thrawn flashed a light smile. “Rest assured I have my own security with me as well.”

Dianas shrugged. “Whatever, follow me.” She turned and lead the way to a smaller, less busy terminal of the port.

Thrawn and Armitage followed close behind, the human constantly scanning their surroundings. So far, only the usual First Order patrols, nothing to suggest they were being watched.

Dianas took a sharp turn into a secluded service corridor, her male counterpart remaining at the entrance of the hall as Thrawn and Armitage passed.

“Alright, show it.” She said quietly, gesturing for the wares to be shown. Armitage zipped open the bag, the remaining blasters and strapped into the top compartment.

“All there, just as promised.” Thrawn added as the Rodian looked over the items.

“There are no power packs.” Dianas commented flatly, her gaze moving up to Armitage’s. The bag rustled, and Armitage gently hit it, causing it to settle. Luckily, the Rodian did not notice.

No power packs, the reason the weapons could not be used to escape the home, and once again it was proving a problem. Buyers were hesitant to purchase wares they could not test.

“I offer you the weapons, as is. Power packs are not truly part of the blaster, no?” Thrawn offered, keeping his tone steady.

Dianas turned her head to look at Thrawn, seeming to study the Chiss. Armitage’s breath caught in his throat as he wondered what could be running through her mind.

“A blaster is nothing without the ability to fire. This is scrap metal.” She finally replied through a sneer.

Thrawn signaled for Armitage to close the bag. “Then you do not understand the value of what you are looking at. I believe we are done here.”

With a light shrug, Armitage turned to follow behind Thrawn to leave the hall. He cringed as he heard a blaster pulled.

“Not so fast. Drop the bag.”

Before them, the male Rodian blocked the exit, blaster trained on Armitage. The human raised his hands up, glad that most of their credits were tucked away in their pockets. There was more than enough to get off world, and maybe there was a medpack where they were going to use. His mind raced a lightyear a second.

Thrawn’s hand slipped inside his cloak, hand surely on the small hold out blaster they had purchased after a particularly unpleasant run in with a Hutt. Armitage knew enough about those vile creatures to tell that his gaze was the kind that wished Thrawn’s clothes would fall away. The blue-skinned Twi’lek accompanying the Hutt was also a red flag as to the gang lord’s type.

“Drop the bag, nice and hard.” Thrawn said calmly. Armitage had a million questions for the Chiss, but those would have to wait.

Trusting Thrawn, he slammed the bag down.

In an instant, a furious orange blur of teeth and claws erupted from the fabric, lunging for the male Rodian. Behind his back, Thrawn fired his weapon, whipping around to dodge return fire.

He had struck Dianas in her shoulder and sent a second bolt home in the same place, causing her to drop her blaster. The other Rodian bolted out of the hall, Millicent hot on his trail.

Thrawn strode to Dianas, kicking the blaster to Armitage who fumbled it into shaking hands.

“You will purchase these blasters for the agreed price.” Thrawn told Dianas, who scoffed.

“Just rob me already and be on your way.” She spat.

“No, you will purchase these blasters for the agreed price.” Thrawn repeated.

“You said they were clean! I don’t want something with a record, that will be traced.”

“They are clean, and if you do not believe us, dispose of them.” Thrawn continued, steadfast.  

Dianas reached into her pocket, tossing a brown pouch at Armitage’s feet. It clanked against the duracrete floor. “There, take it.”

Armitage tucked the blaster into his belt and opened the bag, counting the credit chips. “It’s all here.” He said, frowning as his voice cracked from nerves.

“I will fetch your weapons.” Thrawn turned away from Dianas, opening the bag to retrieve the prototypes. Before Armitage could warn him, Dianas charged, landing a powerful blow to the back of Thrawn’s head.

The Chiss lurched forwards, glasses clattering to the floor. In an instant, he rose, landing an uppercut to the Rodian’s chin. Dianas stumbled backwards, regaining balance against the wall. She froze as red eyes glowed in the dark corridor.

“What the hell are you?” She exclaimed, trying to bolt out of the hall, but finding herself pinned to the wall by Thrawn.

“That is not information we agreed on disclosing.” Thrawn murmured, tone deadly serious. “Bring us the prototypes.”

Armitage replaced the strap of the bag on his shoulder and approached, holding the blasters in his arm as he breathed deeply to try and calm himself.

Dianas took one of the weapons into her hand, but then they were interrupted.

“Let her go or the hairball gets it.”

Armitage dropped the rest of the prototypes and whipped around to the sound of the voice. The male Rodian had returned, bleeding out from many scratches, and holding a hissing Millicent by the scruff of her neck.

A moment later, he fell to the ground, a smoking blaster burn in his chest. The muzzle of Armitage’s blaster hissed with excess heat.

“P-Please! Just let me go!” Dianas pleaded now, seeing her comrade dead. “They are going to come!”

“She’s right, the First Order will surely sniff out a dead body.” Armitage said, a surge of confidence running through him.

“Very well. Be on your way.” Thrawn said, releasing his hold on Dianas. She grabbed the rest of the prototypes from the floor before running out of the hall and melting into the masses of the space port.

Millicent dove back into the bag, orange tail swaying as it stuck out of the back of the closure. Thrawn pulled Armitage into a tight hug, which was graciously returned.

“Once again you save me.” The Chiss whispered, kissing Armitage’s cheek.

Armitage let out a long breath. “I’m glad this is the last deal…” He stated, feeling the adrenaline throb in his ears. “Let’s get out of here.”

Thrawn lead the way back into the terminal, stepping around the body. Both were glad that it was far enough in the shadows to not be too obvious unless one was looking for a dead Rodian.

Not much time later, they were in possession of two one-way tickets to Luprora. Awaiting their flight in a small lounge, Armitage heard a familiar voice and tensed. Thrawn shot him a nervous look from across their table.

The pair turned to the source and saw a holo news broadcast being projected behind the bar.

At the center of the image stood Brendol Hux, hands clasped tightly behind him and a frown on his face.

“I implore all citizens of the First Order to help look for my son, Armitage Hux. Records show that four standard days ago, our home was breached, and he was kidnapped, along with much important scientific research. If any information is known, please step forward. I fear the worst and wish to see my son returned unharmed.”

To any viewer, Brendol would appear to be a concerned father hellbent on finding his son, but Armitage knew that expression far too well. Brendol was furious, but also afraid.

The prototype weapons, and Thrawn himself, were undisclosed projects, secrets kept hidden away from the First Order. Brendol was not worried about Armitage’s well being and a safe return, he feared blackmail.

The broadcast was interrupted by an announcement. A boarding call for Luprora.

“That’s us.” Armitage murmured, looking away from the silent broadcast of his father and pulling his collar up around his face.

Thrawn rose from his seat. “Then let us leave this place, and never return.”

The slight smile on his face spoke far more than any words could. 

 

* * *

 

As the vessel pulled out of hyperspace, Thrawn peered out of the viewport next to his seat. His breath was taken away by what came into view, a bright blue planet, swirled with light clouds and dark rocky landmasses. Only a hand on his knee pulled him out of his trance on the approach.

“It’s a bit primitive, but I think that is for the best right now.” Armitage commented, not nearly as impressed with the sight. He was still baffled that his friend had a place on the backwater world but would take any opportunity he was given in such dire need.

Their transport landed on a small landing pad, a stark contrast to the bustling Arkanis spaceport, and only a few beings exited the craft, many waiting for a later stop. Once on the ground, Armitage’s classmate was easy to spot.

A tall, blonde woman waved once towards Armitage, greeting him with a forced smile.

“Armitage.”

“Phasma.”

Their greeting was sterile, and the woman turned to walk towards the edge of the pad.

“She’s not the most talkative person, but we can trust her.” Armitage said quietly to Thrawn.

“We?” She asked, projecting her voice to the pair behind her. “Who is we?”

Thrawn gave Armitage a vaguely exasperated glance.

“Oh, right. This is Thrawn, he is going to be staying with me.”

Phasma glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. Armitage internally cringed, knowing she was well versed in Imperial history and would most likely recognize the infamous Grand Admiral. Her reply was accusing, but not in the way Armitage thought it would be. “He’s not with the Order.”

“Yes, I know.”

There was a tense pause before Phasma replied. “There is only one bed.”

Armitage’s face instantly washed over with relief. “That won’t be a problem, thank you again for renting out your spare room.”

“You are lucky that the vacancy opened. I quite liked my last roommate, shame he did not like me. Let us hope we get along.”

“I’ll be out of your hair before we even have the chance to form opinions.” Armitage promised. As they left the pad, the land morphed into a rocky terrain, dusted with straggly trees. An endless expanse of ocean opened around them on two sides of the wide gravel path.

“I think I finally understand why you chose to study here.” Armitage muttered.

“The oceans help me focus.” Phasma replied, some of the hard edge removed from her voice. The sound of boots crunching along the path was interrupted by an inquisitive meow, Millicent peeking her head out of the bag. Armitage tried to push her back in, but the large pointed ears prevented anything of the sort. Soon, two feet followed, and then she was trotting along beside them. Phasma did not even look at the new arrival, shaking her head in defeat.

Millicent took a sharp turn down to the shore, returning hardly a minute later with a half-eaten fish between her teeth.

“The sound of the waves and promise of food, boundless infinity on the horizon. I understand how that can be calming.” Thrawn commented, taking in their surroundings.

“I just hate deserts.”

“I have never seen one.”

Phasma laughed quietly to herself. “I don’t suggest seeking one out, imagine if the sun drained all the water from around us, dried the plants and creatures, leaving only sand and insects.”

“No, I do not like the sound of that.” Thrawn agreed, crossing his arms. A strong breeze caused his cloak to flutter out behind him, catching the light and casting kaleidoscope reflections of light around him, only marred by the hole of the blaster burn in the back of the garment. Millicent chased after the colorful lights on the ground.

Armitage could only look before him in awe, finally finding a scene that took his breath away.

The future was bright, like the toothy grin flashed in his direction as Thrawn picked up his pace to keep his cloak fluttering behind him. Armitage laughed as he jogged to catch up, Phasma’s village coming into view up ahead.

The future was no longer a dream, or an aspiration, but their reality.

They were home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A happy ending! ~ 
> 
> I hope you have all enjoyed this journey, it has been an absolute joy to write. 
> 
> Again, a massive thanks to Keto for the constant encouragement, inspiration, feedback, and for just being an amazing friend through this project! This one's for you~
> 
> Update: I’ve made a small playlist for this series, you can listen here: https://open.spotify.com/user/jessk6848/playlist/2k5Jx0FbNrBMX43zs5F5BA?si=_yDz5X5gRve8ETt4AmWeqQ


End file.
